How to use your bench spots is always one of those smaller team management issues that can have a big effect on how your season plays out. In our 12-team league we have three bench spots to go along with our 10 active spots. If this season is anything like last, then it won’t be too long until everyone’s bench spots are occupied with injured stars. But until that time, those spots have some definite value, especially as we get to the second month of the season and trends start to become more obvious.

Here’s my bench strategy for this season – go with young players with massive upside, especially in the categories I’m weak in, and hope one or two of them pan out. It may seem fairly obvious, but right now I can say that I’m pretty much done making roster moves for a while. No more picking up a player after a hot game, no more temporary PG strategy. I’m sticking with what I’ve got. Since I drafted at #11, I’m lacking a real superstar on my team. And since I loaded up on high-minute swingmen (Iguodala, Butler, Jefferson, etc.) I don’t have too many blocks of 3s. Those are the categories I need help in, so this is how I’m using my bench spots. Instead of going for the quick fix I’m going to stay patient and hope that I end up with a player who will be a surefire fantasy starter for the second half of the season. I’m going to rundown the four guys I’m stashing on my bench right now. (I’ll save up some utility games until I feel comfortable using them.)

Spot #1 – Jason Maxiell
I snagged him when Antonio McDyess went down for a few games a week or so ago and of course threw him in the lineup right away and watched him get in serious foul trouble and put up pedestrian numbers. The fact that he started when McDyess was out wasn’t too surprising, but to see him manning the middle when Rasheed Wallace has been out the past couple games has made me very happy. It could mean some upcoming center eligibility, but it means that he is clearly the #1 backup frontcourt option, regardless of who goes down. In just 23 mpg Maxiell is averaging 1.7 blocks, which could sure help my squad. Of my nine regular starters, Andre Iguodala is second with 12 blocks, so you know I need the help. Maxiell’s a very active player and that Detroit team has had so much good fortune with injuries over the past few years that you have to think that things will start to even out. Plus, Rasheed Wallace is on BV’s team, so his injury should linger.

Spot #2 – Juan Carlos Navarro
Navarro was picked up after his first 28-point game a few weeks ago but was subsequently dropped when he followed that breakout game with an 8-point game and then a 9-minute, 2-point game. Still, anyone who can hit 8 3-pointers in a game is someone I could use on my squad. I snagged him after he re-entered the starting lineup against San Antonio and plugged him in for Saturday night’s game against the Wizards. High-scoring teams, Wizards can’t defend the three-point line, revenge game (of sorts) for Navarro? Hey, if my team is going to lose, at least my new acquisition knocked down 5 3s in the process. His role with Memphis isn’t very defined, and Darko Milicic should relegate him back to bench duties when he returns from his thumb injury. But reports on his injury have been vague and you get the feeling it could linger. La Bomba is a pure scorer and in three starts is averaging 19.3/3/4 with a steal and 2.7 3s. Even if Milicic comes back there’s a chance the Grizzlies could decide to keep him on the bench for a while and let Navarro continue to start.

Spot #3 – Tyrus Thomas
It continues to be extremely ugly for the Bulls, and a recent re-entry into the starting lineup has been equally ugly for Thomas. Foul trouble has been the main culprit    as he hasn’t been able to top 17 minutes in each of the last two contests due to excessive hacking. Scott Skiles seems to be taking all of his frustrations out on Thomas, moving him in and out of the lineup, calling him out publicly, etc. There’s a chance he could be buried on the bench again this week, but if the Bulls are going to turn things around this year, it’s hard to see them doing that without some big contributions from Thomas. He’s a disaster at the free throw line, but he blocked 10 shots and grabbed 6 steals in the first four games of the month, and those are numbers that can’t be ignored. If Skiles gets fired – still unlikely, but this team is 2-10 and just lost to the Knicks – a new coach could make Thomas a cornerstone.

Spot #4 – Sean Williams
You can see the kind of players I’m going for. Like I said, if one of them pans out big time, it could be the difference between fighting for the title and hanging out in the middle of the pack. Getting a big-time shot blocker who can grab steals for free is often the key to winning. Since I drafted 11^th I started the season with the #2 waiver claim, and I cashed in that chip to grab Williams, who was dropped after a pair of games in which he didn’t break 15 minutes. This came after two starts in which he posted averages of 16 and 6 with 1.5 steals and 2.5 blocks. To Lawrence Frank’s credit, the Nets won the two games in which his role was diminished and lost the two games in which the rookie started. But the competition is Malik Allen, Jason Collins, Jamaal Magloire, Josh Boone and an out-of-it Nenad Krstic. I’m usually anti-rookie, but that’s mostly on draft day. Williams is averaging 2.2 blocks in 20 minutes and is center eligible. He’s got to be owned in every league and even if the minutes aren’t there right now I have to think he’s a better use of a roster spot than just rotating between the likes of Morris Peterson, Marko Jaric and Jarrett Jack.